Pakske, Laos

Next we wound our way by boat down the Mekong and ended up at a couple of islands, Don Khon and Don Det, which are situated just above the Khone falls that mark the border with Cambodia. It's a tricky passages with rapids and rocks rising to the surface. We prayed the whole way that the engine wouldn't conk out. At the southern islands there is a natural triage that sends all of the young travelers to Don Det and the older less party inclined to Don Khon. You may have guessed that we ended up on Don Khon and by good luck we were able to stay on a floating bungalow for one night. It was magic to sit on our deck watching the sunset and sipping our nightly Pernod. This island has some history as this was the place where the French made repeated and futile attempts to pass though the falls and rapids of the lower Mekong to reach the upper Mekong. There remains an old railway line and bridge which the French ultimately used to ferry goods and materials past this point. We were able to see the falls and can constate that there is no way you could get a boat up them. Leaving the islands was easy. We were in a boat with just one other couple. Taking the bus up the mainland to Pakse was another story. They crammed far more people and baggage than we would have thought possible. Luckily it was only a two hour ride as at 36c the heat was stifling.